Surpassing Excellency
by Aakacub
Summary: We're not special. There's no prophecy about us. All I want to be is the greatest warrior I can, bringing pride to my Clan. I don't need to be special to be important and needed. Although, when you're just a warrior in ThunderClan, having a huge prophecy about your denmates is a little discouraging.


**AN:** Okay, so, since I've officially come back to this site now, this is my first Warriors story! :D I've written many others, but they're on different websites. I'm Aakacub; you might've seen my work around. If not, well, here it is! xD I want to make a career out of writing if possible, and Warriors has been one of my favorite series for quite some time.  
So I noticed while looking around the archive that most of the stories describe cats that are submerged in their own prophecies - not that there's anything wrong with that, of course. But what of the cats that don't get a prophecy? That's what I address in this story. The main characters are two normal kits, destined for nothing except the life of a regular warrior. Their cousins are actually the ones with the prophecy around them. So, since the main characters have no powers or prophecies about them, they'll be pushed to the sidelines by the rest of the Clan.  
I must confess, I haven't read the latter part of the Omen of the Stars series, but I do know spoilers, and this is supposed to take place about four seasons after the events of The Last Hope. ^^; If you see that I got something incorrect (and I'm sure I did!), please point it out kindly and I'll fix it. :D Also, if you don't see a certain cat here, that cat probably died. Sorry. xD  
Also, I don't own _Warriors_. I'm not an Erin. If I was, why would I be writing fanfiction?

Without further ado, here's the prologue to Surpassing Excellency!

* * *

**ALLEGIANCES**

**THUNDERCLAN**

**LEADER:** Bramblestar – dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**DEPUTY:** Birchfall – light brown tabby tom  
_** Apprentice, Thistlepaw**_

**MEDICINE CAT: **Jayfeather – gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes  
_** Apprentice, Lilyheart**_

**WARRIORS:** Berrynose – cream-colored tom  
Hazeltail – small gray-and-white she-cat  
Mousewhisker – gray-and-white tom  
Cinderheart – gray tabby she-cat  
Poppyfrost – tortoiseshell she-cat  
_** Apprentice, Hollypaw  
**_ Lionblaze – golden tabby tom with amber eyes  
Foxleap – reddish tabby tom  
Toadstep – black-and-white tom  
Bumblestripe – very pale gray tom with black stripes  
Dovewing – pale gray she-cat with blue eyes  
Molefur – brown-and-cream tom  
_** Apprentice, Firepaw  
**_ Seedpelt – very pale ginger she-cat  
Ambertail –gray she-cat with white markings and amber eyes  
Dewfrost –gray tom with amber eyes  
Snowpelt –white tom with amber eyes

**APPRENTICES:** Lilyheart – tabby she-cat with white patches  
Firepaw – gray tabby tom with amber eyes  
Thistlepaw – golden tabby tom  
Hollypaw – pale gray she-cat with green eyes

**QUEENS:** Icecloud – white she-cat, mother of Molefur's kits (Fernkit, a white-and-cream she-kit with green eyes, Nettlekit, a light brown tom with green eyes,  
and Thornkit, a pale gray tom with green eyes)  
Ivypool – silver-and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes, mother of Foxleap's kits (Shrewkit, a silver tabby tom with amber eyes, and Dustkit, a  
dark brown tabby she-kit with blue eyes)

**ELDERS:** Graystripe – long-haired gray tom  
Dustpelt – dark brown tabby tom  
Brackenfur – golden brown tabby tom  
Sorreltail – tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes  
Leafpool – light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, former medicine cat  
Spiderleg – long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes

**SHADOWCLAN**

**LEADER:** Rowanstar – ginger tom

**DEPUTY:** Tawnypelt – tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

**MEDICINE CAT: **Robinfur – dark ginger she-cat

**WARRIORS:** Toadfoot – dark brown tom  
Applefur – mottled brown she-cat  
Crowfrost – black-and-white tom  
_** Apprentice, Goldenpaw  
**_ Ratscar – brown tom with long scar across his back  
Olivenose – tortoiseshell she-cat  
Owlclaw – light brown tabby tom  
Shrewfoot – gray she-cat with black feet  
Scorchfur – dark gray tom  
Kinkfur – tabby she-cat with long fur that sticks out at all angles  
Tigerheart – dark brown tabby tom  
_** Apprentice, Stonepaw  
**_ Pinenose – black she-cat  
Ferretclaw – cream-and-gray tom  
Starlingwing – ginger tom  
Raventail – black-and-white she-cat

**APPRENTICES:** Stonepaw – light gray tom with blue eyes  
Goldenpaw – cream-colored she-cat

**QUEENS:** Ivytail – black, white, and tortoiseshell she-cat, mother of Tigerheart's kit (Nightkit, a tortoiseshell-and-white she-kit)  
Dawnpelt – cream-furred she-cat, mother of Scorchfur's kits (Petalkit, a cream-colored she-kit, and Graykit, a dark gray tom with cream splashes)

**ELDERS:** Oakfur – small brown tom  
Littlecloud – very small tabby tom, former medicine cat  
Smokefoot – black tom

**WINDCLAN**

**LEADER:** Crowstar – dark gray tom

**DEPUTY:** Whitetail – small white she-cat

**MEDICINE CAT:** Kestrelflight – mottled gray tom

**WARRIORS:** Weaselfur – ginger tom with white paws  
_** Apprentice, Rabbitpaw  
**_ Harespring – brown-and-white tom  
Leaftail – dark tabby tom with amber eyes  
_** Apprentice, Mottledpaw  
**_ Antpelt – brown tom with one black ear  
Emberfoot – gray tom with two dark paws  
Whiskernose – light brown tom  
Furzepelt – gray-and-white she-cat  
_** Apprentice, Hawkpaw  
**_ Boulderheart – large pale gray tom

**APPRENTICES:** Rabbitpaw – brown-and-white she-cat with green eyes  
Mottledpaw – black-and-white tom  
Hawkpaw – tabby tom with green eyes

**QUEENS:** Heathertail – light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes, mother of Leaftail's kit (Flowerkit, a light brown she-kit with amber eyes)  
Sedgewhisker – light brown tabby she-cat, expecting Emberfoot's kits

**ELDERS:** Owlwhisker – light brown tabby tom  
Gorsetail – very pale gray-and-white tom with blue eyes

**RIVERCLAN**

**LEADER:** Reedstar – black tom

**DEPUTY:** Minnowtail – dark gray she-cat  
_** Apprentice, Mossypaw**_

**MEDICINE CAT:** Willowshine – gray tabby she-cat  
_** Apprentice, Splashpaw**_

**WARRIORS: **Pebblefoot – mottled gray tom  
_** Apprentice, Rushpaw  
**_ Mallownose – light brown tabby tom  
Robinwing – tortoiseshell-and-white tom  
Beetlewhisker – brown-and-white tabby tom  
Grasspelt – light brown tom  
Hollowfoot – dark brown tabby tom

**APPRENTICES:** Mossypaw – brown-and-white she-cat  
Rushpaw – light brown tabby tom  
Splashpaw – blue-gray she-cat

**QUEENS:** Petalfur – gray-and-white she-cat, expecting Grasspelt's kits  
Troutpool – pale gray tabby she-cat, mother of Hollowfoot's kits (Lilykit, a pale gray she-kit with blue eyes, and Rockkit, a dusty brown tom with  
amber eyes)

**ELDERS:** Mothwing – dappled golden she-cat, former medicine cat  
Duskfur – brown tabby she-cat  
Graymist – pale gray tabby she-cat  
Mintfur – light gray tabby tom  
Icewing – white she-cat with blue eyes

* * *

PROLOGUE

"Jayfeather."

The gray tabby's whiskers twitched at the sound of his name. He looked up, blue eyes clouded and sightless. As soon as he heard the other tom settle into the night-cool grass beside him, he turned his blind gaze back to the cluster of stars in the ever-darkening sky. "Bramblestar." His whiskers twitched again. "Do you need something from me?"

"I just wanted to know something," Bramblestar began, his voice low and raspy. The tabby tom had been aging quickly over the past few moons, and Jayfeather doubted that his leader would last more than a few seasons yet. "Has StarClan spoken to you?"

There was a pause, but only for a heartbeat. "Yes," Jayfeather answered quietly, inclining his head toward ThunderClan's leader. "Have they to you?"

"Yes." A sigh came from Bramblestar's direction. "They have given me a prophecy. There is no doubt in my mind that it foretells great danger coming upon our Clan."

"Ah." Jayfeather's unblinking, unseeing eyes searched the sky again. "We must have received the same prophecy, then."

Bramblestar shifted awkwardly in the grass. Jayfeather's ears pricked, sensing that his leader was anxious. "I'm sure Firestar never had to deal with anything as serious as this."

"He did," Jayfeather muttered shortly, one ear twitching as he held his head down. There was no way any cat would ever forget the prophecy about Lionblaze, Dovewing, and himself. Firestar had to bear the heavy burden of that prophecy alone for quite some time before Jayfeather and his littermates were born. "It's not fair to compare yourself to Firestar. You're a different cat."

"I cannot help but think he would be better accustomed in this situation."

The fur rose on Jayfeather's hackles. "You can't keep whining about Firestar!" he spat, blue eyes narrowing in anger. "You are Bramble_star_, the leader of ThunderClan! If all you do is moan about the old times when you were just the deputy, nothing will ever get done, and the Clan will lose their faith in you!"

Bramblestar was silent for a few heartbeats. "I see." He let out another weary sigh, one cracked with age. Jayfeather felt a pang of sympathy in his heart for his foster father. "I understand, Jayfeather. I, ah, also wanted to ask you another thing."

"Yes?" Jayfeather didn't look up.

"What do you think should be done about this?"

Jayfeather let out a hiss of exasperation. When would Bramblestar learn? "Bramblestar," he meowed, tail-tip flicking in agitation, "I am not a substitute for your own judgment. _You_ are the leader, so you should - "

"I know," Bramblestar interrupted him. "But I want _your_ advice."

A feeling of guilt rose in the medicine cat's chest. "Oh," he murmured simply. "Well, not much can be done, can it? If the newborn kits are to be part of a prophecy, then so be it. I don't think we should hide it from any of the others. After all, the Clan will find out eventually."

"And the other kits?" Bramblestar prompted. "When they are born, what will they think? These cats will be their denmates, their best friends."

"There's nothing to do for it." Jayfeather shook his head slowly, sighing. "I'm sure keeping it a secret would work for a while, but it would be even worse if it came out later. Have you forgotten how my sister behaved when she realized she wasn't part of the prophecy?"

"I have not," Bramblestar rasped. "That is exactly why I'd rather keep it a secret."

"Do what you think is best, Bramblestar." Jayfeather stood up, tiny shivers going through his body. It was the middle of leaf-fall, and leaf-bare was fast approaching. New kits were always welcome, but ThunderClan did not need extra mouths to feed in the dead of leaf-bare. "I encourage you to trust your own judgment for this."

With that, the medicine cat retired to his den, leaving the old tabby leader to his puzzled and clouded thoughts.

* * *

**AN:** Did you guys like it? ^^ Please review and tell me what you thought, and if I should continue! This is just the beginning, my friends...


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